Anonymous Bitfinex critic hires lawyer after receiving threats

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Blogger @bitfinex’ed prepares for possible legal face-off with Bitfinex.

Over the past year or so, the anonymous blogger @bitfinex’ed has been an active critic of Bitcoin exchange Bitfinex, writing investigative articles that expose suspicious actions by Bitfinex and Tether, as well as supporting proofs.

So far, @bitfinex’ed has been hitting a few nails right on the head. Last year, the blogger alleged that Bitfinex and Tether were run by the same people, despite former Bitfinex CTO Craig Sellars claiming that they are just a customer of Tether. In November, a massive leak of documents involving 120,000 companies and individuals, referred to as the Paradise Papers, confirmed this.

In December last year, after being subpoenaed by the CFTC (Commodities Futures Trading Commission), Tether finally posted a list of their team members on their website, confirming that they are being run by the same people running Bitfinex.

The blog also brought to light questions on where the companies are banking, as well as allegations of running a Ponzi scheme, wash trading, and speculations on why they would not allow an audit have also been brought to the surface. Probably the most damning and damaging for the cryptocurrency trade, however, was the allegation that Tethers (USDT) are not backed by US dollars at all—that Tether and Bitfinex are using their resources to collaborate on a synchronized pump of the price of BTC using fraudulent Tethers.

Unsurprisingly, the blog has been applauded by some, while receiving antagonism from others. It has even become one of the go-to resources for speculation on what is going on with Bitfinex and Tether. The blogger’s Twitter account now has 41,200 followers as of last checking.

Obviously, such a blog will not go unnoticed not only by avid supporters of USDT, but by the target companies Bitfinex/Tether themselves. The blogger has apparently been on the receiving end of threats, and has hired DC lawyer Steven Palley in preparation for a possible legal face-off with the companies. And while it is yet to be proved whether Bitfinex and Tether had anything to do with the threats the blogger has been receiving, Palley has already sent Bitfinex legal counsel Stuart Hoegner a firm warning.

“As you know, threats have been made and continue to be made against @bitfinex’ed. If we learn that your client is directly or indirectly responsible for these threats, or if any harm should take place to @bitfinex’ed as a result of these threats, there will be legal consequences.”

This isn’t the first time blogger @bitfinex’ed had to face backlash for the blog. Last month, the blogger’s Twitter account was suspended, and @bitfinex’ed went on Reddit alleging that Bitfinex was behind the suspension. “Some people just don’t like their scams being exposed,” the blogger, going by the user name AtlasRand1, wrote in the post. The account was quickly restored hours after, with a Twitter spokesperson dismissing it as an innocent mix up.